Baseball area protection system and method

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an integrally weighted baseball cover and system, method and apparatus for quickly delivering the cover and placing it onto an area of a baseball field, such as one or more of the infield areas, such as home base area, first base area, second base area, third base area, pitcher&#39;s mound area and/or bullpen areas.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/778,221, filed Jul. 16, 2007, which is a division of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/722,287 filed Nov. 25, 2003, now issued as U.S.Pat. No. 7,270,617, which are incorporated herein by reference and madea part thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to baseball and, more particularly, to a baseballcover and protection system and method and apparatus for delivering thecover to an area to be covered.

2. Description of the Related Art

Invented in 1845, the game of baseball is a sport that revolves around aone-on-one competition between pitcher and batter. In both the throwingand hitting efforts, each player is exerting force with their feetagainst the ground at various areas on the baseball field or infield.For example, a pitcher takes a giant step forward from the top of thepitcher's mound during the throwing motion, and his front foot must havegood traction to stop his motion. As is well known, a batter takes aforceful step during the hitting motion and must have good traction inboth hitting and his first few steps in running toward first base. Boththe pitcher and batter could be injured if they lose their tractionduring their motions.

Most of the areas, such as the batter's box, pitcher's mound, firstbase, second base and third base, are either dirt or artificial dirtsurfaces. If these surfaces get too wet and slippery, the baseball gamemay have to be stopped to protect the players. For this and otherreasons, when rain begins during a baseball game, these areas must becovered with a water barrier cover with the pitcher's mound, thebatter's box and general area around home plate being the mostimportant.

In the past, waterproof tarps have been laid over these areas, or insome cases, over the entire infield or entire field itself. Rain isusually accompanied by wind. Oftentimes, the wind caused the tarps to beblown off the areas they were intended to cover, which exposed the dirtareas underneath. In the past, there were generally two methods to keepthe baseball tarps in place during such conditions. One method was toplace heavy objects, such as sandbags, rocks, or bricks on the tarps.Another method was to drive stakes through the tarp or through grommetholes provided in the tarp and into the ground. Both of these methodsare slow and cumbersome ways to install and return a baseball tarp overan area to be covered. These methods also were somewhat time consumingin that it took several people to first lay the tarp and then hold itdown while the weights or stakes were put in place. Then, more time wasrequired to place the weights or to drive the stakes into the ground.

Because of the slow installation procedure, the areas that were not yetcovered were typically getting wet. Also, until the tarp wassufficiently weighted or staked, the tarp edges were being blown up,which caused any exposed dirt areas to get wet or wetter.

In the area of professional baseball, huge tarps covered the entirefield or large portions of it. These tarps were stored on large rollsand typically required several men to unroll and distribute the tarpover the entire playing field. Obviously, this required a comparablenumber or even more men or machines to remove the tarp from the fieldafter the rain stopped and it was desired to resume play. Theseapproaches did not enable selective and quick placement of covers ortarps over just the critical areas and without the need for the use orplacement of separate weights.

What is needed, therefore, is a cover and delivery and protection systemand method that enable the quick delivery and covering of one or moreareas to be covered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to overcome the shortcomings of thesystems and methods of the past. This invention provides, among otherthings, an apparatus, system and method for quickly installing abaseball cover or tarp that has weighted material integrated directlytherein, thus providing ballast that keeps the baseball cover inposition during windy conditions and thereby eliminates the need forseparate weights.

Another object is to provide a delivery system that enables the storageof the cover and quick delivery of the cover to an area to be coveredand which also permits the cover to be quickly placed over an area to becovered.

Another object is to provide a cover having weights integrally stored inthe cover.

Still another object is to provide a delivery system that is easy tolift and move and also easy to roll.

In another aspect, this invention comprises a baseball tarp deliverysystem comprising a roll for storing a baseball tarp, each end of theroll comprising a coupler, a first member for coupling to the couplerand for lifting the roll and baseball tarp off of the ground when it isbeing transported to and from a baseball area and a second member forcoupling to the coupler for moving the roll when it is desired to unrollthe baseball tarp onto the baseball area or to take up the baseball tarponto the roll.

In yet another aspect, this invention comprises a method for protectingat least one baseball area of a baseball laying field, the methodcomprising the steps of providing a baseball tarp comprising a flexiblematerial having a perimeter that defines a predetermined configurationand a weight associated with the flexible material for retaining theflexible material in a desired position after the flexible material hasbeen situated on a baseball playing area, providing a roll for storingthe baseball tarp, each end of the roll comprising a coupler, andproviding a projection at each of the ends of the roll to permit theroll to be lifted and carried towards and away from the at least onebaseball area and also for facilitating the baseball tarp to be unrolledfrom the roll in order to cover the at least one baseball area.

In still another aspect, this invention comprises a method forprotecting a baseball field area, the method comprising the steps oflifting a roll and positioning it in proximate relation to the baseballfield area, the roll comprising a baseball tarp stored thereon, thebaseball tarp comprising a flexible material having a perimeter thatdefines a predetermined configuration and a weight associated with theflexible material for retaining the flexible material in a desiredposition after the cover has been situated on a baseball playing area,and unrolling the baseball tarp from the roll by moving the roll overthe baseball playing area until the perimeter of the roll surrounds thebaseball playing area.

In yet another aspect, this invention comprises a baseball fieldprotection system comprising a baseball tarp comprising a flexiblematerial having a perimeter that defines a predetermined configurationand a weight associated with the flexible material for retaining theflexible material in a desired position after the flexible material hasbeen situated on a baseball playing area, a roll for storing thebaseball tarp, and a gripper located on each end of the roll for liftingthe roll and baseball tarp and carrying it towards and away from the atleast one baseball area and also for unrolling the baseball tarp toprotect the at least one baseball area when the baseball tarp isunrolled thereon.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description, the accompanying drawings and theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view illustrating a playing field with covers ortarps of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an illustrative cover of the invention;

FIG. 3A is a fragmentary view showing various features of the cover andan integral weight;

FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along the line 3B-3B in FIG. 3A;

FIGS. 4A-4L are various views illustrating the cover formed of variouspolygonal or other configurations and also illustrating the seamsbetween various sections;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a delivery systemcomprising a roll for storing and delivering the cover shown in FIG. 2,for example;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an L-shaped I bolt and atool for lifting and moving the roll shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing another embodiment illustrating atool for lifting a moving the roll;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view illustrating another embodiment showing atool for lifting and moving the roll;

FIG. 9 is a view showing the use of the tool shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows an exploded view and approach for aligning and couplingtwo elongated sections to provide the roll shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 11 is an illustration showing use of the tools and lifting of theroll so it can be carried to an area to be covered, such as a pitcher'smound area;

FIG. 12 illustrates the roll being placed on the ground adjacent to thepitcher's mound;

FIG. 13 further illustrates use of the tool to deliver the cover ontothe pitcher's mound;

FIG. 14 illustrates the cover situated on the pitcher's mound afterusing the roll and tools;

FIG. 15 illustrates a plurality of pockets or weight-receiving areas forreceiving weights, with the areas being situated in intervals around aperimeter of the cover;

FIG. 16 is a view illustrating a plurality of weight-receiving areas inintervals and also in an interior within the perimeter of the cover;

FIGS. 17A-17B illustrate another embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 18A-18B illustrate another embodiment of the invention, showing aplurality of elongated channels extending between points on a perimeterof the cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a baseball field 10. The baseball field 10 comprisesa plurality of baseball playing areas, such as home plate area 12, firstbase area 14, second base area 16, third base area 18 and baseball moundarea 20 as shown. The invention referred to and described hereinprovides means, system, apparatus and method for quickly delivering andplacing a tarp or cover to these baseball playing areas 12-20 in orderto protect them, for example, from rain, wind, debris and the like. Itshould be appreciated that the cover of the present invention may beuseful to protect other areas, such as a bull pen, on-deck area or otherareas associated with the baseball field 10.

The invention comprises at least one or a plurality of tarps or covers22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 illustrated in FIG. 1. For ease of description andillustration, the cover 30 will be described in detail herein, but itshould be understand that the covers 22-28 are similarly constructed.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the cover 30 comprises a flexible material 32of one or more layers, which in the embodiment being described iswater-resistant and durable polymer material, such as a vinyl laminated(or coated) polyester; polyethylene sheet or woven polyethylene; a vinyllaminated or coated onto a polyester scrim fabric; a vinyl sheet; avinyl laminated to a polymer woven scrim fabric; a vinyl coated polymerwoven scrim; a vinyl laminated or coated onto any receptive fabricscrim; or a polymer laminated or coated onto any receptive fabric scrim.In the embodiment being described, the flexible material 32 is flexiblein order to permit the flexible material 32 to conform to the shape ofthe surface on which it is placed. For example, if the flexible material32 is situated on the baseball mound area 20 (FIG. 1), the cover 30 willconform to the shape of the mound, thereby reducing or eliminating anyair gaps between a surface 30 a (FIG. 2) of the cover 30 and the groundon which it rests. It has been found that this flexibility is alsoconvenient if, for example, the cover 30 is used to protect baseballareas or baseball objects other than those illustrated in FIG. 1, suchas a bullpen, warm-up area, on-deck area, seating areas, baseballequipment, supplies and the like.

Referring back to FIG. 2, notice that the flexible material 32 comprisesa perimeter 36 that defines a predetermined shape, such as a hexagonalshape as shown in FIG. 2. It should be understood, however, that thepredetermined configuration or shape may comprise any desirable shape,such as the illustrative shapes shown in FIGS. 4A-4L. It has been foundthat multi-sided or polygonal shapes, such as the shapes shown in FIGS.4A-4K are easiest to construct because they may be formed from strips orsections, such as sections or strips 32 a, 32 b and 32 c (FIG. 2), offlexible material 32 as described later herein. As illustrated in FIGS.4A-4E and 4K, the shapes may be equilateral, such as the equilateralhexagon in FIG. 4A, pentagon in FIG. 4B, or octagon in FIG. 4D.Alternatively, the predetermined configuration may be of anonequilateral polygonal or multi-sided shape, such as those illustratedin FIGS. 4F-41. The predetermined configuration may define a rectangle(FIG. 4J), square (FIG. 4K) or circle (FIG. 4L). The predeterminedconfiguration may be selected in response to the shape of the area to beprotected by the cover 30. A dimension for a typical cover may be 18feet average diameter for a pitcher's mound cover and 26 feet averagediameter for a home base cover.

As illustrated in the FIGS. 3A-3B, the cover 30 comprises a weightretained directly in the cover 30 and suitable for providing weight 40and ballast to the flexible material 32 so that, for example, it isresistant to movement by rain or winds yet is light enough so that thecover 30 can be installed easily and quickly. As illustrated in FIGS. 3Aand 3B, the flexible material 32 is folded over itself to define achannel, pocket or weight-receiving area 38 (FIG. 3B) that receives theweight 40. In the embodiment being described, the weight 40 comprises achain which is approximately 0.63 pounds/foot one-fourth inch grade 30long link proof coil chain as specified in Federal SpecificationRR-C-271 and ASTM/ANSI 413. It should be appreciated that the weight 40may comprise any suitable weight for providing ballast to the cover 30,and may comprise, for example, a chain, pellets, sand, earth, rock,concrete, aggregate, polymer, or even a second fabric, or any suitableweight so long as the weight 40 provides suitable ballast to provide thedesired amount of wind resistance for the cover 30.

As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the flexible material 32 comprises an end 32d that is folded over itself to provide a hem 37 as illustrated. The end32 d of flexible material 32 is secured at the area A (FIG. 3B) by sewnthread 41 or alternatively by a heat seal or weld which permanentlysecures and integrally forms the end 32 d to the cover 30, therebydefining the hem 37 that integrally retains weight 40. As illustrated inFIG. 2, the hem 37 may extend around the entire perimeter 36 of thecover 30. Alternatively and as illustrated in FIGS. 15-18, theweight-receiving area 38 and weight 40 may be provided in any desiredarrangement, such as in intervals 39 (FIG. 15) along the perimeter 36 orinterior of the perimeter 36, such as in an interior area 44 (FIG. 16)of the cover 30. As illustrated in FIG. 16, a plurality of interiorweight-receiving areas or pockets 48 may be provided within theperimeter 36 of the flexible material 32 in order to weight a centralsection 32 b (FIG. 2) of the cover 30 as shown. Alternatively, a singleinterior weight-receiving area or pocket 50 (FIGS. 17A and 17B) may beformed using a second layer 35 of flexible material 32 that is welded tosurface 32 e. The pocket 50 being dimensioned to receive the weight 40as shown.

As illustrated in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the cover 30 may further beprovided with a plurality of elongated weight-receiving areas 52extending across a top surface 32 e of cover 30 or between two points onthe perimeter 36. The areas 52 may be arranged in a starburstconfiguration, with each area 52 receiving the weight 40.

Thus, it should be appreciated that one feature of the invention is toprovide at least one or a plurality of weight-receiving areas 38, 48,50, 52 or a combination of weight-receiving areas 38, 48, 50, 52 of anydesired shape, size or pattern. The areas 38, 48, 50 and 52 may extendcontinuously or in intervals and can be formed and shaped with desireddimensions or configurations in arcuate or curved segments or even in anendless configuration, such as is illustrated in the covers shown inFIGS. 2, 17A and 17B. Thus, although the weight-receiving areas 38, 48,50, and 52 have been shown as arcuate or elongated, they could be anydesired shape, such as a triangle or circle, as illustrated by the area50 shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B. It has been found that the size andconfiguration of the areas, such as areas 38 in FIGS. 3B and 50 in FIG.17B, will depend upon the size and amount of weight that is desired tobe provided in the cover 30, which in turn, will depend upon theapplication and location where the cover 30 will be used. The selectionof the shape and size of the weight-receiving areas has been madepossible by the novel use of industrial sewing and/or heat welding toseal these areas in the flexible material 32. In the embodiment beingdescribed, the seal at the areas A in FIGS. 3B and B and C in FIG. 17Bis provided by industrial sewing. Although the embodiment has been shownusing a sewn seal, it should be understood that other means for creatingthe weight-receiving area may be used, such as by heat welding or RFwelding the flexible material 32 or using an adhesive at the areasindicated by arrows A (FIG. 3B), B (FIG. 17B) and C.

As alluded to earlier, the cover 30 may be made from a single sheet offlexible material 32 which has one or more layers, or it may also bemanufactured from a plurality of segments or strips of elongatedflexible material 32, such as the sections or strips 32 a, 32 b and 32 c(FIG. 2) that are joined at seams 31 and 33 by a heat weld or seal. Inthe embodiment described, the cover 30 is manufactured from a supply orroll of material (not shown) having a width W (FIG. 2) on the order ofabout six feet.

In another embodiment of the invention, a baseball tarp delivery system60 is provided. The baseball tarp delivery system 60 will now bedescribed relative to FIGS. 5-14. The baseball tarp delivery system 60comprises a roll 62 having a pair of end caps 64, 66. The roll 62 andend caps 64 and 66 comprise PVC tubing having a diameter of at leastfour inches. Also, to facilitate shipping, the roll 62 may be providedin sections, such as sections 63 and 65 shown in FIG. 10. The sections63 and 65 may be joined by an interior aluminum or PVC section 67 havingan outer diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter ofthe section 63 and 65. These sections 63, 65 and 67 may be alignedtogether using marks 71, 73 and 75 and then secured together withsuitable means, such as an adhesive or screws 79.

The end caps 64 and 66 (FIG. 5) each comprise an eyebolt 68 and 70,respectively, which are coupled together by tensioning means, such as acable 72 as shown. In one embodiment, the eyebolts 68 and 70 extend adistance D from the end caps 64 and 66 as shown. As illustrated with theend cap 64, a nut 74 secures the eyebolt and a PVC tube 78 is situatedover the eyebolt 68. A second nut 80 is screwed onto the eyebolt 68 toretain the PVC tube 78 thereon. This construction provides a convenientand simple first member, tool, gripper, handle or means for lifting anend of the roll 62. One feature of this embodiment, as will be describedlater herein, is that it provides a first member, handle, gripper ormeans for lifting the roll 62, but also provides a second member,gripper, puller or means for moving the roll 62, for example, when it ison the ground.

A method for delivery will now be described. As illustrated in FIGS.11-14, the cover 30 is rolled up and stored on the roll 62, as shown inFIG. 11. Typically, the roll 62 and cover 30 are stored off the baseballfield 10 and away from the baseball playing areas 12-20 during play.When it is desired to cover an area, such as the baseball mound area 20in the illustration shown in FIGS. 11-14, the end caps 64 and 66 arelifted and the roll 62 and cover 30 are raised off of the ground andtransported or carried to the baseball mound area 20 and then situatedsuch that a center line CL (FIG. 12) of the baseball mound area 20 isapproximately midway between the end caps 64 and 66 as illustrated inFIG. 12. The roll 62 and cover 30 are then lowered or situated on theground as shown in FIG. 12.

As illustrated in FIGS. 13-14, the cover 30 is delivered or unrolled offthe roll 62 as the roll 62 is moved in the direction of arrow E in FIG.13. The process may be reversed to take up the cover 30 onto the roll62, for example, when it is desired to store the roll 62 and cover 30off the baseball field 10.

To facilitate lifting the cover 30 and unrolling it as described, thefirst member, tool, gripper or handles defined by the ends of theeyebolts 68 and 70 may be used to lift the roll 62 and move the roll 62,for example, when rolling or unrolling the cover 30 from the roll 62. Inone embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, a tool 86, such as a braidedmember, rope, leash, chain or the like, may be used. In the illustrationshown in FIG. 6, the tool 86 may comprise a pair of handles 88 and 90.The tool 86 may comprise a length such that when both handles 88 and 90are grabbed by the user, they are short enough to permit the user tolift the roll 62 and cover 30 off the ground and carry it as illustratedin FIG. 11. After the roll 62 and cover 30 are situated on the groundadjacent to the baseball mound area 20 as shown in FIG. 12, one of thehandles 88 or 90 may be released and the other simply pulled by the useras illustrated in FIG. 13 until the cover 30 has been dispensed from theroll 62. In this illustration, the eyelet 84 is selected to comprise adimension such that when one of the handles 88 or 90 is pulled, theother handle will not slip through the eyelet 84.

FIG. 7 provides another illustration where a rod or tubular member 92may be situated through the eyelet 84 as shown and then capped with endcaps 94 and 96 to provide the first member, gripper handle or means forlifting the roll 62. Thus, the member 92 provides a handle that may begripped when it is desired to lift the roll 62. A second member, pulleror tool 98, such as a braided member, rope, leash, chain, or the like,may be provided with a hook (not shown) or loop 100 that can be loopedaround the rod 92 as shown in FIG. 7. A handle 102 on the braided member98 may be pulled by a user as illustrated in FIG. 13, for example, tomove the roll 62 in order to place the cover 30 onto the baseball moundarea 20.

FIG. 8 illustrates still another approach wherein a tool 104 comprises afirst member or handle 108 being received in the eyelet 84. The handle108 may be grabbed and lifted when it is desired to lift and carry theroll 62 as shown in FIG. 11. The handle 106 may then be used to pull androll the roll 62 such as when it is desired to place the cover 30 overthe baseball mound area 20, as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14.

This system, method and apparatus provide convenient means for storingthe cover 30 and also for quickly delivering and placing the cover 30 onan area, such as the baseball playing areas 12-20. The baseball tarpdelivery system 60 may be used to quickly dispense and deliver the cover30 to the area to be covered, as illustrated in FIGS. 11-14. Because thecover 30 comprises the weight which is retained, for example, in theperimeter 36 of the cover 30, the cover 30 is stable and resistant toundesired movement, such as movement caused by wind or rain. Further,the baseball tarp delivery system 60 provides protection for the areas,such as baseball mound area 20 illustrated in FIGS. 11-14, so that theydo not become wet when it rains because the flexible material 32 iswater resistant as mentioned earlier.

Advantageously, this invention provides an improved self-weightedbaseball tarp and cover 30 and installation apparatus and method that iseasy to use and enables a user to quickly deliver the cover 30 to anarea to be covered such as when a rainstorm occurs suddenly. It shouldbe appreciated that the roll 62 has been illustrated storing orcomprising a single cover 30, but it should be understood that multiplecovers 30 could be stored on a single roll 62. This enables quickdelivery of covers 30 to a plurality of areas to be covered, such as thebaseball playing areas 12-20 shown in FIG. 1.

Further, the invention provides self-weighting that eliminates thefollowing problems/efforts required in the use of stakes and/or sandbagsfor ballast:

-   -   Separate storage of stakes or sandbags.    -   Loss of stakes or sandbags.    -   Damage to power motor when it hits stakes accidentally left in        the ground when removing tarp.    -   Filling and sealing of sandbags before use.    -   Spilling of sand from sandbags during use.    -   Safety problem for person driving stakes.    -   Need for hammer or other implement to drive stakes.

While the method, system and apparatus described herein, constitutepreferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to this precise method, system and apparatus,and that changes may be made in either without departing from the scopeof the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.

1. A baseball playing area cover delivery system comprising: a roll forstoring a baseball playing area cover; each end of said roll comprisinga coupler; a first member for coupling to said coupler and for liftingsaid roll and said baseball playing area cover off of the ground when itis being transported to and from a baseball playing area; and a secondmember for coupling to said coupler for moving said roll when it isdesired to unroll said baseball playing area cover onto said baseballplaying area or to take up said baseball playing area cover onto saidroll.
 2. The baseball playing area cover delivery system as recited inclaim 1 wherein said first member and said second member comprise a toolfor coupling to said coupler.
 3. The baseball playing area coverdelivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said coupler is aneyebolt.
 4. The baseball playing area cover delivery system as recitedin claim 1 wherein said first member is a handle situated through aneyebolt.
 5. The baseball playing area cover delivery system as recitedin claim 1 wherein said first member is a handle defined by an end of aneyebolt.
 6. The baseball playing area cover delivery system as recitedin claim 1 wherein said second member is a braided member for couplingto said coupler.
 7. The baseball playing area cover delivery system asrecited in claim 3 wherein said eyebolt is generally L-shaped.
 8. Thebaseball playing area cover delivery system as recited in claim 1wherein said each end of said roll comprises an end cap for receivingsaid coupler, said system further comprising a tensioning cable forconnecting said couplers together.
 9. The baseball playing area coverdelivery system as recited in claim 1 wherein said roll comprises aplurality of sections and a connector for coupling said plurality ofsections together.
 10. The baseball playing area cover delivery systemas recited in claim 3 wherein said first member is a handle situatedthrough said eyebolt.
 11. The baseball playing area cover deliverysystem as recited in claim 1 wherein said baseball playing area covercomprises: a flexible material having a perimeter that defines apredetermined configuration; and a weight associated with said flexiblematerial for retaining said flexible material in a desired positionafter said flexible material has been situated on said baseball playingarea.
 12. The baseball playing area cover delivery system as recited inclaim 11 wherein said weight is received in a weight-receiving areaformed in said flexible material.
 13. The baseball playing area coverdelivery system as recited in claim 12 wherein said flexible material issewn or heat sealed to define said weight-receiving area and to retainsaid weight in said weight-receiving area.
 14. The baseball playing areacover delivery system as recited in claim 13 wherein said weight is achain located around said perimeter.
 15. A baseball field protectionsystem comprising: a baseball playing area cover comprising a flexiblematerial having a perimeter that defines a predetermined configurationand a weight associated with said flexible material for retaining saidflexible material in a desired position after said baseball playing areacover has been situated on a baseball playing area; a roll for storingsaid baseball playing area cover, each end of said roll comprising;means for lifting said roll and moving said roll on the ground.
 16. Thebaseball field protection system as recited in claim 15 wherein saidmeans comprises a first member and a second member, said first memberfor lifting the roll and said second member for moving the roll on theground.
 17. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 15wherein said means comprises a projection extending from each end ofsaid roll.
 18. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim16 wherein said first member is a handle situated through a projection.19. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 16 whereinsaid first member is a handle defined by an end of a projection.
 20. Thebaseball field protection system as recited in claim 16 wherein saidsecond member is a braided member.
 21. The baseball field protectionsystem as recited in claim 17 wherein said projection is generallyL-shaped.
 22. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim15 wherein each end of said roll comprises an end cap, said meansfurther comprising a tensioning cable between each end of said roll. 23.The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 22 wherein saidroll comprises a plurality of sections and a connector for coupling saidplurality of sections together.
 24. The baseball field protection systemas recited in claim 15 wherein said weight is permanently retained insaid flexible material.
 25. The baseball field protection system asrecited in claim 24 wherein said weight is permanently retained in atleast part of said perimeter of said flexible material.
 26. The baseballfield protection system as recited in claim 15 wherein said weight isreceived in a hem formed in said perimeter of said flexible material.27. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 26 whereinsaid flexible material is folded and sewn or heat sealed to define aweight-receiving area for receiving said weight.
 28. The baseball fieldprotection system as recited in claim 15 wherein said weight iscomprises at least one of a chain, pellets, sand, earth, rock, concrete,aggregate, polymer, or a second fabric.
 29. The baseball fieldprotection system as recited in claim 15 wherein said predeterminedconfiguration defines a polygonal shape.
 30. The baseball fieldprotection system as recited in claim 29 wherein said predeterminedconfiguration defines a pentagon, hexagon or octagon.
 31. The baseballfield protection system as recited in claim 29 wherein said polygonalshape comprises a non-equilateral pentagon, hexagon or octagon.
 32. Thebaseball field protection system as recited in claim 27 wherein saidweight is a chain.
 33. The baseball field protection system as recitedin claim 23 wherein said weight is permanently retained in said flexiblematerial.
 34. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim33 wherein said weight is permanently retained in at least part of saidperimeter of said flexible material.
 35. The baseball field protectionsystem as recited in claim 15 wherein a plurality of covers are storedon said roll.
 36. A method for protecting at least one baseball playingarea of a baseball field comprising the steps of: providing a baseballplaying area cover comprising a flexible material having a perimeterthat defines a predetermined configuration and a weight associated withsaid flexible material for retaining said flexible material in a desiredposition after said flexible material has been situated on a baseballplaying area; providing a roll for storing said baseball playing areacover, each end of said roll comprising a coupler; and providing aprojection at each end of said roll to permit said roll to be lifted andcarried towards and away from said at least one baseball playing areaand also for facilitating said baseball playing area cover to beunrolled from said roll in order to cover said at least one baseballplaying area.
 37. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein saidprojection comprises a first handle.
 38. The method as recited in claim36 wherein said roll comprises a coupler integrally coupled to an end ofsaid roll.
 39. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein said couplerprovides a handle, or gripper comprising at least one extension forcoupling to said coupler to permit user to pull said roll.
 40. Themethod as recited in claim 38 wherein said coupler is an eyebolt capableof receiving a handle, said method further comprising an extensionmember for coupling to said coupler for enabling a person to move saidroll when delivering said baseball playing area cover onto said at leastone baseball playing area.
 41. The method as recited in claim 40 whereinsaid extension member comprises a rope.
 42. A method for protecting abaseball field area comprising the steps of: lifting a roll andpositioning it in proximate relation to said baseball field area, saidroll comprising a baseball playing area cover stored thereon, saidbaseball playing area cover comprising a flexible material having aperimeter that defines a predetermined configuration and a weightassociated with said flexible material for retaining said flexiblematerial in a desired position after said baseball playing area coverhas been situated on a baseball playing area; and unrolling saidbaseball playing area cover from said roll by moving said roll over saidbaseball playing area until said perimeter of said roll surrounds saidbaseball playing area.
 43. The method as recited in claim 42 whereineach end of said roll comprises a projection, said method furthercomprises the step of: grabbing said projection of said roll to lift theroll to perform said lifting step.
 44. The method as recited in claim 43wherein said method further comprises the step of pulling saidprojection to perform said unrolling step.
 45. The method as recited inclaim 44 wherein said method further comprises the step of pulling saidprojection with a rope.
 46. The method as recited in claim 45 whereinsaid projection is an eyebolt.
 47. A baseball field protection systemcomprising: a baseball playing area cover comprising a flexible materialhaving a perimeter that defines a predetermined configuration and aweight associated with said flexible material for retaining saidflexible material in a desired position after said flexible material hasbeen situated on a baseball playing area; a roll for storing saidbaseball playing area cover; and a gripper located on each end of saidroll for lifting said roll and said baseball playing area cover andcarrying it towards and away from at least one baseball playing area andalso for unrolling said baseball playing area cover to protect said atleast one baseball playing area when said baseball playing area cover isunrolled thereon.
 48. The baseball field protection system as recited inclaim 47 wherein said gripper comprises a projection extending from eachend of said roll for enabling the roll to be lifted and moved.
 49. Thebaseball field protection system as recited in claim 48 wherein saidprojection further provides means for attaching a tool thereto.
 50. Thebaseball field protection system as recited in claim 48 wherein saidprojection is an eyebolt.
 51. The baseball field protection system asrecited in claim 49 wherein said tool comprises a handle situatedthrough an eyebolt.
 52. The baseball field protection system as recitedin claim 49 wherein said means comprises an eyebolt through which saidtool may be inserted.
 53. The baseball field protection system asrecited in claim 52 wherein at least part of said tool comprises a ropeor braided member.
 54. The baseball field protection system as recitedin claim 50 wherein said eyebolt is generally L-shaped.
 55. The baseballfield protection system as recited in claim 47 wherein an end of saidroll comprises an end cap at each end and through which at least oneprojection is located, said system further comprising a tensioning cablecoupling at least one end and projection in each end together.
 56. Thebaseball field protection system as recited in claim 52 wherein saidroll comprises a plurality of sections and a connector for coupling saidplurality of sections together.
 57. The baseball field protection systemas recited in claim 47 wherein said system further comprises a firstmember for lifting said roll with said flexible material thereon and asecond member for moving said roll when it is on the ground.
 58. Thebaseball field protection system as recited in claim 57 wherein saidfirst member and said second member are integral with or coupled to saidroll.
 59. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 57wherein at least one of said first member or said second member are notintegral with or coupled to said roll.
 60. The baseball field protectionsystem as recited in claim 59 wherein said first member comprises aprojection extending from an end of said roll and said second membercomprises a tool for coupling to said projection in order to move saidroll.
 61. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 47wherein said weight is permanently retained in said flexible material.62. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 61 whereinsaid weight is permanently retained in said perimeter.
 63. The baseballfield protection system as recited in claim 47 wherein said weight isreceived in a hem formed in said flexible material.
 64. The baseballfield protection system as recited in claim 63 wherein said flexiblematerial is heat sealed to define said hem and to retain said weight ina weight-receiving area.
 65. The baseball field protection system asrecited in claim 47 wherein said weight comprises at least one of achain, pellets, sand, earth, rock, concrete, aggregate, polymer, or asecond fabric.
 66. The baseball field protection system as recited inclaim 64 wherein said weight is comprises at least one of a chain,pellets, sand, earth, rock, concrete, aggregate, polymer, a secondfabric.
 67. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 47wherein said predetermined configuration defines a polygonal shape. 68.The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 67 wherein saidpredetermined configuration defines a pentagon, hexagon or octagon. 69.The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 68 wherein saidpolygonal shape comprises a non-equilateral pentagon, hexagon oroctagon.
 70. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 66wherein said predetermined configuration defines a polygonal shape. 71.The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 70 wherein saidpredetermined configuration defines a pentagon, hexagon or octagon. 72.The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 68 wherein saidpolygonal shape comprises a non-equilateral pentagon, hexagon oroctagon.
 73. The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 63wherein said hem extends at least partly around said perimeter andcomprises at least one interior weight-receiving area extending toward acenter area of said flexible material.
 74. The baseball field protectionsystem as recited in claim 47 wherein said weight is distributed inspaced intervals around said perimeter.
 75. The baseball fieldprotection system as recited in claim 74 wherein said weight is situatedin a hem in said spaced intervals.
 76. The baseball field protectionsystem as recited in claim 63 wherein said weight is situated in aweight-receiving area between at least two points on said perimeter. 77.The baseball field protection system as recited in claim 47 wherein saidweight is situated in a plurality of pockets provided in said flexiblematerial, at least one of said plurality of pockets being located onsaid perimeter.